PIA crew briefly detained, plane searched at Heathrow

Pakistani media has earlier said that British authorities had recovered narcotics from flight PK-785 of PIA which had reached London from Islamabad on May 15.

Geo News meanwhile reported that the drugs had been distributed in bundles around different parts of the plane and that customs authorities in Pakistan have started an investigation into how the plane laden with heroin was provided clearance to fly.

PIA spokesperson says 14 crew members were released after being detained for almost 2 hours.

"I am extremely concerned as to why the British authorities did not officially share the incident with Pakistan", the adviser said. The crew members' passports were also reportedly taken away by the police. The UKBA, however, has said that the PIA has been notified in both Pakistan and in the UK. Upon landing, as passengers disembarked, the flight crew and aircraft were searched by the authorities.

There was a total of 16 crew member on the plane, they added.

Meanwhile, PIA's United Kingdom station manager Sajidullah Khan has told that they have not been notified by the United Kingdom authorities about the discovery of heroin on the PIA plane.

The PIA flight returned to Pakistan at 11:30 am on Tuesday. The original crew stayed back in London after its duty had ended, as per schedule, the spokesperson claimed.

PIA management in London was trying to find out reasons behind the searching of the plane and reports of detention, he added.

A report in Dawn newspaper quoted PIA spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar as saying that the flight from Islamabad to London arrived at Heathrow Airport at 2.50 p.m. on Monday.